“The SZR suggests that the provocation from the Russian Federation may happen on the eve of or during the celebration of Christmas according to the Julian calendar”, — write: www.radiosvoboda.org
According to the press service of the Russian Federation, Russia continues its special operation to disrupt peace talks mediated by the United States – after reports of attacks on Putin’s residence, the spread of new falsified informational pretexts to prepare Russian and foreign audiences for further escalation is recorded.
“With high probability, we predict a transition from manipulative influence to armed provocation by the special services of the Russian Federation with significant human casualties. The expected time is on the eve or during the celebration of Christmas according to the Julian calendar. A place of provocation can be a religious building or another object of symbolic importance both in Russia and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine,” the message reads.
External intelligence believes that it is planned to use the wreckage of Western-made attack UAVs to falsify evidence of Ukraine’s involvement, which will be delivered to the place of provocation from the front line.
“The exploitation of fear and the commission of terrorist acts with human casualties under a “foreign flag” fully correspond to the style of work of the Russian special services. Putin’s regime has repeatedly used this tactic inside the Russian Federation, and now the same model is being exported abroad, which is indirectly confirmed by the public statements of the highest officials of the Russian Federation,” the SZR added.
RFE/RL cannot independently verify this statement. Moscow has not yet responded to this message.
Read also: SZR analyzed the statements of the Russian Federation about Ukraine’s alleged attack on Putin’s residence
On December 29, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced Ukraine’s attempt to attack Putin’s residence in Valdai with 91 drones. Only in the evening of December 29, the Russian Ministry of Defense explained what Lavrov’s claims about 91 drones were based on. Initially, the agency reported only 41 drones shot down in one day over the Novgorod region as a whole – not specifically over Putin’s residence.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi called Lavrov’s statement “another lie” aimed at justifying strikes on Ukraine.
The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaya Callas, expressed the opinion that Russia’s claims of a strike on key Russian government facilities are a deliberate distraction.